Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
‘It’s hard but we need to all stick together’
More than 50 people have united in a coordinated effort to provide services for the most vulnerable in the area in Wye near Ashford. The campaign, spearheaded by the group ‘Our Place Wye’, has seen volunteers divided into eight areas to effectively provide help to the elderly and vulnerable.
Jasper Bouverie, one of those behind the initiative, said: “It’s been brilliant seeing just how many people have come forward. “There have been so many people saying that they will help over social media, and you do sometimes worry that they won’t then back that up in reality but they have. “Our Place Wye started in 2016 and has been funded by the Kent Community Foundation.
“We’ve always felt that we’ve had a very strong community here, and while we never thought we would have to deal with something like this, it’s reassuring to have everyone coming together.” The volunteers have been posting leaflets with their contact details on - ensuring there is no risk of infection on either end.
There have been difficulties in organising the group’s efforts, and the team have had to ensure that proper precautions have been taken amongst the volunteers. Jasper explained: “We’ve had to set up guidelines for the volunteers to make sure that they’re safe, and equally not endangering anyone else in terms of spreading the virus.
“It’s been tricky, because none of us have ever seen anything like this. “The elderly and vulnerable have to self-isolate, and we have to listen to the advice on that just as they do. “Despite that, we can help them by taking shopping lists over the phone rather than by hand, and having a lovely chat with them over the phone. “When we do deliveries, there are steps we are taking such as never handing the food over but putting it outside the door and stepping back, similarly to instructions given to postmen and delivery drivers.
“You have to make the best of it. It’s hard right now, but we can get through it if we all stick together.”